Originating in 1916 when John Hillerich, the great-grandfather of current CEO and President John Hillerich IV and founder of the Louisville Slugger company, first started making golf clubs from persimmon, the Powerbilt brand produced the finest line of persimmon woods in the golf industry. In 1934, Olin Dutra used the new PowerBilt clubs to capture the U.S. Open by one stroke over Gene Sarazen. Throughout the 1960s, 70s and 80s PowerBilt Citation Persimmon Woods were the standard by which all drivers and fairway woods were judged. During the 1980s alone, PowerBilt clubs won two-dozen events on the PGA Seniors/Champions Tour.